Don't Forget to Register for the Ohio Technology Showcase

August 2, 2005

Please mark your calendars for September 27-29, 2005. On those three days, DOE, Energy Industries of Ohio, and the Ohio Department of Development, Office of Energy Efficiency will be cohosting the Ohio Technology Showcase at the Crowne Plaza City Centre in Cleveland.

Ohio is a major U.S. producer of iron, steel, glass, and plastic products; it leads the nation in producing general-purpose machinery. So, it's fitting that Ohio is hosting this year's Technology Showcase, which will focus on energy efficiency within the steel, aluminum, forging, metal casting, polymers/plastics, and glass industries.

This technology showcase will do more than just introduce new technologies to certain industries. It will also provide information about energy management best practices that improve productivity as well as save energy and reduce emissions industry-wide. This year, attendees can obtain extensive training in best practices for either melting and high-temperature processes or compressed air systems, including instruction in using DOE-developed assessment software tools.

Plenary sessions will feature talks by leaders in both business and government. Other offerings include technical breakout sessions, plant tours, and discussion of clean power issues, federal and state funding opportunities, and much more. There will also be many opportunities to share ideas and information, and to network with peers.

You won't want to miss the technical sessions describing the benefits of several state-of-the-art innovations. Here are just some of them:

Steel: The Timken Company: Laser Ultrasonic Wall Gauging (PDF 367 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
Developed with ITP support, this online, laser-based ultrasonic gauging technology (LUT) measures the wall thickness and eccentricity of seamless mechanical steel tube walls during production. The gauge facilitates rapid mill set-up to tube size by generating real-time measurements, allowing rapid process adjustments when an off-specification tube is detected. The LUT boosts productivity and reduces energy consumption and emissions, and it's saving the Timken Company approximately $500,000 annually.

Metal Casting: RSP Tooling: Rapid Solidification Process (RSP) Tooling (PDF 104 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
This process sprays layers of molten metal, metallic alloys, or polymers onto a three-dimensional pattern, circumventing most of the fabrication steps in conventional die and tool-making processes such as machining, benching, and heat treatment operations. This ITP-supported technology received 2004 R&D 100 and Energy@23 awards, and one from the Federal Laboratory Consortium.

Glass: Owens Corning: Oxy-fuel Fired Combustion System (PDF 446 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
An industrial team led by Owens Corning developed an oxygen combustion front-end system that greatly improves energy efficiency and reduces emissions in glass production; and just as important, it improves quality. The system's efficient design reduces natural gas usage by up to 70% and cuts NO_x and CO₂ emissions.

Aluminum: Energy Research Company: In-Situ Measurement of Melt Chemistries (PDF 793 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides in-situ, real-time measurement of aluminum, glass, and steel melt constituents in a process furnace. This ITP-sponsored technology allows manufacturers to eliminate furnace idle time due to off-line measurements, and reduces product rejections. Estimated energy savings are 5 to 10 trillion Btu per year in the aluminum, glass, and steel industries.

Forging: Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Queen City Forging: Rapid Heating Technologies for Forging Operations (PDF 683 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
This infrared heating technology makes use of tungsten halogen lamps to permit rapid and uniform heating of dies and aluminum billets before forging. Benefits include significantly reduced heating time and energy consumption, as well as improved metallurgical and mechanical properties of the forged product.

A technology showcase is one of several ways in which DOE and others promote energy efficiency across key industries. For more information and to register, visit the Ohio Technology Showcase Web site at http://www.ohioshowcase.org/. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn about the latest energy management and technology developments that will help you optimize energy at your plant!